Hard Days

Sleeping and healing with her pal Hank

Emma has had a few hard days of feeling pretty tired, headachey and nauseous following her 14th round of chemo last week.  It's really the way I was imagining she would have been feeling the entire course of treatment, but thankfully, it has been a rarity.  I can tell she doesn't feel good when she walks around with a furrowed brow and her lips pressed together like she just tasted something gross.  She fights hard to feel good and even got dressed for school yesterday, made her lunch and rode in the car all the way to the sidewalk, and just couldn't get out of the car.  I drove her home and she promptly cuddled up on the couch and fell asleep for the next four hours....hard.  I had to remove her glasses after an hour when I realized they were making permanent indentations in her cheek and she didn't even notice. 

She wanted to try to go to school today, but I have to say, I saw the same furrowed brow and pressed together lips on the ride there, so I'm kind of waiting for the phone call.

Emma holding one of the eight new Mini Dachshund puppies.

Thankfully, we only have one more of these rounds to get through and then her little body can start to cleanse itself from all the medications and bombardment of foreign chemicals that have entered her bloodstream every three weeks for the last year.  I'm so looking forward to that.....I can't imagine how much more she is looking forward to feeling back to her self again.  Thank you for continuing to hold her up in prayer.  She needs it now, just as much as in the beginning.  This little traveler is getting weary on her journey.

At the BMX Nationals in Reno, Nevada with her brothers and Dad

In case you missed out on the email or Facebook invitation, we are planning a low key, but personal and meaningful celebration for Emma Kait on her final day of chemo...February 8, 2012.  We are going to surprise her with helium balloons filling her room when she returns home.  We hope to have notes of encouragement from many of her supporters tied to the strings of the balloons.  We will then remove the notes, before releasing the balloons into the air, marking an end to a very long and difficult year for our family.  If you would like to send a note to her, please email it to rebecca3kids@hotmail.com and we will print it and attach it to a white, silver or pink balloon.  Thank you so much for your love, support and cheering her on!  We have not traveled this road alone.

At the Keaton Raphael Memorial Foundation Christmas Party-December 2011

-Rebecca